Paper-file



(No Model.) I I A. B. SKINNER.

' PAPER PILE. y Y

' Patented Dec. 8,V 1896.

UNITED .STATES I PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT B. SKINNER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI..

PAPER-FILE.

d SPCIFICATO forming part of Letters Patent No. 572,619, dated December 8, 1896.

Application filed March 6, 1895 To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT B. SKINNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Paper-Files, of which the following is a specification. v I

My invention relates to an improvement'in paper-files made in the form of a portfolio; and the objects of my improvement are, first, to'provide means by which leaves may be detachably fastened in the portfolio, sothat the number of leaves may be' readily changed and leaves which have become worn out re- Y improved portfolio with leaves in place. Fig.

2 is an end view of the portfolio, partially opened, with leaves in place. Fig. 3 is a detailed view in perspective of a portion of the backv of the portfolio with a clip attached thereto.` Fig. 4 is a detailed view in perspective of an inner corner of one of my improved sheets. Fig. 5 is a plan view of an inner corner of one of the sheets, and Fig. 6 is a horizontal cross-section of one of my improved sheets along the line 6 6 of Fig. 5.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

B, Figs. l, 2, and 3, represents the back of the portfolio, and B', Figs. l, 2, and 3, a stiffening-piece, preferably of wood and flat on the inside, inserted in the back.

132132 represent the sides of the portfolio, attached to the back in a usual manner.

B4 B4, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, represent-clips used to hold sheets inserted in the portfolio in place.

b represents the base of the clip. It is shown attached to the back of the portfolio by means of screws b'. Any other suitable Serial No. 540,743. (No model.)

fastening devices may be .substituted for the screws.

b2 is a bent pin, and b3 an arm, `having a hook b4 formed on the end thereof to retain the pin b2 in place when sprung into position. The pin b2 and the arm b3 are attached to the base Z9, and the attachment is preferably rigid. I prefer to make the pin h2 and the arm b3 in one piece, bent so as to give it the proper shape, but that is not essential. The pin b2 is formed of an elastic substance, such as spring-wire, and is bent in such a shape as to be kept in contact with the inside of the hook h4 when in place by its tendency to spring outward. I prefer to arrange the clips as shown, one between the middle andthe top of the back and one between the middle and the bottom.

C C C, dac., Figs. l, 2, 4, 5, and 6, are sheets such as I prefer to insert in my portfolio Where it is to be used as a tariff-holder, for which purpose it is especially useful. Any convenient number of sheets may be inserted, and they are preferably indexed by Writing on the stub A of each the name of the railroad whose tariff-rulings are to be attached to the sheet.

The sheets are preferably formed of a strip c and a sheet c of stiff paper connected together by means of a piece of fabric c2, which is pasted, glued, or otherwise attached thereto. I prefer to leave a small space between the pieces c and c', so as to form a flexible joint along the line of division. The preferred method of arranging the piece of fabric c2 is most clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 6. As will be observed, it is bent around the piece c and extends some distance outward over the sides of the piece c. As will be obvious, it is not essential that the part c2 should be formed in one piece. Two pieces of fabric, one on each side of the sheet, would answer the same purpose and be its equivalent. Two clip-holes c1 c4 are formed in the sheet C c and the fabric c2 and are preferably guarded by eyelets. These holes are so spaced apart that the pins b2 of the clips B4 B4 may be passed through them, as shown in Fig. l. When sheets C are to be either inserted or near its inner edge and pass through the piece IOO taken out of the portfolio, the pins b2 b2 are sprung out of engagement with theirrespec-- tive hooks b4 b4. Old sheets may then be lifted out of the portfolio or new ones inserted. In the latter case the pins b2 b2 are passed through the clip-holes cL cL of the new sheets. Vhen the withdrawal or insertion of sheets has been accomplished, the pins b2 b2 are pushed back into engagement with their respective hooks b4 b4. Two fastener-holes pass through the fabric c2 and the piece c, and are also preferably guarded by eyelets. Their preferred positions are shown in Figs. l and 5. They are designed for the passage of fasteners, by means of which sheets of printed matter may be detachably secured Vto the sheets C.

D, Fig. l, represents a rate-ruling attached to a sheet C in this manner.

E E represent fasteners of the ordinary type, by which the rate-ruling D is secured in place. A number of raterulings may in this manner be attached to each of the sheets C and readily detached when it is desired.

The sheets made in the manner described are very strong and durable and combine the necessary stiffness in the body of the sheet with exibility along the line where it is desirable.

Taken as a whole, my improved le combines simplicity, efficiency, durability,.and cheapness to a degree believed to be unequaled.

I claim- The combination in a portfolio having its back strengthened by the stiffening-pieeeB, of a pair ot' clips B4 B4, arranged Within the portfolio, one between the middle and the top of the back, and the other between the middle and the bottom, and each being composed of a base b, having rigidly attached thereto the arm b3 having a hook b4, and a spring-pin b2,

said arm and pin being in one piece, and the said clips being attached in place by fastening their respective bases to said stiffeningpiece transversely; and twoor more sheets C C, each formed of a strip c, and a part c', of stiff paper, connected together by means of a piece of fabric c2, and each strip c having two clip-.holes therein, guarded by eyelets, and each part c having two fastener-holes through it, guarded by eyelets, and the sheets C being held in place by the spring-pins b2 b2, passing through their .clip-holes, substantially as described.

ALBERT B. SKINNER.

Witnesses R. E. SPINKERMAN, E. D. JORDAN. 

